The Sea of You & Me

4. Cal

"I mean I did miss our birthday so we're going to celebrate. With or without you."

"It's tomorrow at my house Liam," Riley called from the grass. "Be there or don't!"

"Missed you to Riles," he chuckled.

"How was camp?" Ty asked all of us.

"Long."

"Hot."

"Tired," Mason cried.

"As you can see Mason is clearly traumatized from this year's training," I rolled my eyes before deciding to sit on the grass. I'll take my stuff home later. Right now I needed a nap, and the grass was soft. 

"Oh poor Mase," Kenny pouted. "Do you need a nap?"

"Yes, please. And some pancakes."

"Mmmm pancake breakfast was last week."

"Ugh my life is so hard," he sighed walking over to Riley to bug her. "I miss all the good stuff."

Kenny nudged me with her foot and I glanced up at her. Her arms were back to being crossed across her right stomach. I patted the spot of grass next to me but instead, she plopped down across from me.

"So how was your summer?" I asked.

"Oh you know," she paused. "Just living in the water. The usual. Practice, practice, practice."

"Has Ty finally beaten you yet or what?" I smirked. Anytime they were in the room together they would argue about who was faster. It usually happened in class, but since I hadn't seen either of them since camp I figured why not stir some trouble up. 

"Don't start," she groaned. "He's so relentless. He just doesn't shut up you know that right?" 

"You gonna be captain this year or what?" I knew she'd appreciate the subject change. Those two were firecrackers. 

"I doubt it."

"But you're the best on the team."

"I wouldn't say that," she began.

"C'mon Parker. You and Ty run that place. If you don't get captain we'll riot," I smirked.

Her teeth began to show as she tried to hide her smile. It was as if the most she tried to hide it the bigger her smile became. It was infectious.

Why had I never noticed her smile before?

"Oh yeah? You and what army?" She snorted.

"I know you know Mason. He's a force to be reckoned with."

"You all are!"

"True."

"Besides, it hasn't been decided yet but I think our seniors this year seem pretty lazy about it. So I think it'll be between me or Kylie," she shrugged leaning back to catch some sun.

She would get it. I knew she was trying to downplay it but she'd get it. Her coaches would be stupid not to. She was the hardest working person on that team. If I didn't know her or already have seen her legs I'd think she'd have some scales on there by this point.

"I need to shower," she sighed. 

"Yeah me too"

"I know. I can smell you from here," she smirked. She pretended to gag, and I kicked her with my leg. 

"Oh please. Don't think I can't smell your chlorine and sweat all the way over here," I scoffed. She gasped and kicked me with her foot back while I laughed. 

She huffed getting up while Ty called out something to her. She yelled back and made a profound gesture that we all laughed at.

"We should make a slip and slide out here," Liam decided.

"Down!" Riley yelled.

We all agreed and talked about a plan. It was the first time we all actually hung out this summer. We'd all been busy doing our own thing with camps and practices. Even before we left for camp all of us hadn't really hung out together. Instead of dropping off all my bags at my house we threw everything into Liam's room and grabbed his swim trunks.

Ty, Riley, and Kenny grabbed supplies out of their garage and started constructing it together. By the time we changed and met them back outside everything was set up.

"Can I come play?" I heard Livi ask. Livi was Kenny and Liam's younger half-sister. She was a tiny little thing and had that face that you couldn't say no to. Which we didn't.

Liam gave her a piggyback ride right down the porch once she got her bathing suit on. We let her go down the slip and slide first. She squealed the entire way and begged to go again.

We all took turns from going on our backs to our stomachs to even trying to stand. Kenny made it the farthest standing but toppled over towards the end. Luckily I had just gone so I was still there to grab her arm and catch her.

"My hero," she cried through her laughter.

"No problem."

I continued to hold her arm without even realizing it. I noticed her coppery eyes had flecks of gold in them. They were brighter in the sun.

"What? What is it?" She asked shifting uncomfortably. The hesitation lingered on her face. She couldn't decide whether to pull herself away or not.

"Oh nothing," I let go of her arm. "Just- I'm glad to be back. We missed you guys."

"We missed you too." She gave a small smile but quickly added, "just don't tell Mason or Liam they won't let me hear the end of it."

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it."

I couldn't help but notice how carefree she looked. There was something about her I couldn't help but look at and I didn't get why. We'd always been friends, even though this past year we weren't super close as we once were. I just couldn't stop noticing her. 

I'd always known she was something different, But catching her falling changed something. Maybe it was the way she caught me staring at her. Finally noticing each other as something other than neighbors or friends, but something had certainly changed between us.

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Hi!! I hope you liked the flashback! In case you don't know this took place the summer before the first book (The Deep End). 

I probably should have posted the last chapter and this one at the same time, so please forgive me! I hope you're enjoying this story and all the Cal chapters! Let me know what you think!